Evaporative cooler



July 23, 1946. B. EssicK EVAPORATIVE COOLER Filed Aug. 30, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 23, 1946. B. EsslcK EVAPORATIVE COOLER Filed Aug. 30, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Illlllllll h TII I J Patented July 23, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF] CE EVAPORATIV E COOLER Bryant Essick, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application August 30, 1944, Serial No. 551,981

11 Claims. (Cl. 26197) This invention has to do, with an evaporative cooler and has particular reference to the mounting of the pad in a cooler of the type wherein there is a pad of excelsior, or the like, through which air is circulated. A general object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, and improved construction for supporting a pad in a cooler of the type referred to.

It is common to employ evaporative coolers wherein there is a box-like body containing a fan or blower and a pad of excelsior, or the like, normally wet with water and arranged so air is circulated through it. In this type of device the pad must be replaced from time to time and, therefore must be mounted so it can be readily removed.

A characteristic difliculty of evaporative coolers of the general character hereinabove referred to is that the pads sag after being in use a short time and, frequently, lower at the upper edge to leave gaps through which air can pass without being the cooler. Fig. 2 is a side view of the cooler with parts broken away to show .in section in order to illustrate the general arrangement and construction of the cooler. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken at the lower end portion of the pad, as shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged circulated through the pad. When a pad drops or sags, leaving an opening through which air can by-p'ass, the efliciency of the cooler is lowered materially, as no evaporative action is induced by the mere circulation of air through an open space,

but only occurs when the air is circulated through V drop or sag in the manner usual to devices of this kind.

Another object of this invention is to provide a structure involving a pad carrier which securely clamps and holds the pad so that it cannot sag or drop but can be readily removed or replaced when desired. With the construction of the present invention the pad is held in a carrier so that it is'clamped along the upper edge holding that edge securely and so that it cannot sag. The clamp device provided by the invention is such that it can be readily released whenever desired so that the pad can be removed for purpose of removal or replacement.

'The'various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of typical preferred forms and applications of the invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of a typical evaporative cooler in which the present invention may be embodied with the removed to Show the structure inside detailed sectional view taken at the upper end portion of the pad as shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan View taken as indicated by line 5-5 on Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the pad shown apart from the other portions of the structure; Fig. 7 isa vertical sectional View of the frame of the pad carrier. Fig. 8 is a face view of the retainer ofthe pad carrier shown separate from the other parts. Fig. 9 is a detailed sectional view at the upper portion of another construction provided for'clamping the pad in the carrier and Fig. 10 is an enlarged detailed sectionel plan view through the pad carrier at one end thereof showing a pad in place therein and showing the manner in which the retainer of the carrier is latched in the frame being a view of the pad and carrier only and taken substantitally as indicated by line l0-| 0 on Fig. 3.

The present invention is primarily concerned with the mounting of a pad of excelsior, or the like, in an evaporative cooler. The invention is applicable, generally, to evaporative coolers employing pads that are wetted and through which air is circulated and it is in no way concerned with the specific details of the general cooler construction. For. purpose of example I have illustrated a typical or conventional form of evaporative cooler and have shown specific structural details peculiar to that particular cooler. be understood that the broad principles of the present invention are not limited to the specific cooler that I am about to describe but that the invention may be applied, generally, to evaporative coolers wherein a pad is mounted so that water flows through it and air is drawn through it. I

The general construction illustrated in the drawings involves a boxr-like body It, pads I I arranged at the two ends of the body, carriers l3 supporting the pads in the body, means M for wetting the pads, means l5 for circulating air through the pads, and means I6 clamping the pads in the carriers.

The body l0 may be a simple box-like structure involving, generally, a base 20, a top 2|, side walls 22 and end walls 23. In the particular case illustrated each end wall 23 is provided with a large opening or aperture 24 to which a pad II is mounted by means of a carrier I3; In the, par- It is to as circumstances require, or to serve as mountings for the other elements.

As I have pointed out above, the particular cooler illustrated involves two pads, one at each end of the body. Since the two pads and their carriers are or may be identical I will describe one of them, it being understood that such description may apply equally to both. 7

The pad ll may be of the general type or construction commonly; found oremployed in evaporative coolers of the general type hereinabove referred to. The particular pad illustratedin the v drawings is a thin flat pad as distinguished from able thickness packed full of excelsior 26 to have the shape shown in Fig. 6, and to maintain the desired shape the pad may have ties 21 extending through it from one side of the envelope to the other, following generally the construction em- The usual pad such as I 35 have referred to employs an envelope 25' of coarse ployed in mattresses.

cloth such as burlap, or the like, and the padding or material 25 within the envelope is excelsi'or or other material that will carry or handle water and will form a porous mass through which air H can be drawn sozthat the water is evaporated by the circulation of air. A pad such as I have described and which is shown in Fig. 6 will stay in r the desired shape or form when first put into use,

but after being used for a short time the packing or padding 26 softens or deteriorates and is wetted with water with the result that it has a marked tendency to sag or settle.

The clamping means [6 provided bymy invention may be carried out in various manners so (5!) that it clamps or holds a pad II from its upper edge and so that the pad occupies the aperture 24 in the end of the body. In the preferred form of the invention I include or incorporate the means It in, or in connection with, a carrier I3 Which is detachable from the body as a unit and which for-ms a frame or support for the pad.

The particular carrier [3 illustrated in the drawings is a shallow rectangular box-like structure and involves 'a main frame A and a retainer B which together confine and hold the pad I l generally at the aperture 24 in the body It). The frame A of the carrier includes a front panel 35 which may be a' fiat sheet metal part and rearwardly extending marginal flanges 31 extending rearwardly from the edges of the panel. Suitable openings or louvers 33 are provided in the panel to pass air. The panel 30 is shaped and proportioned to fit immediately behind the end Wall 23 of the body in register with the aperture 24 and the frame A as a unit normally rests on a support 34 in the body and can be bodily lifted from the support and removed from the body so that it is detachable as a unit from the body.

The marginal flanges 3| of the frame A project 75 4 rearwardly from the panel 30 far enough to accommodate the pad II and retainer B as shown throughout the drawings. In the particular construction illustrated an inwardly turned lip 35 is provided at the inner edge of each flange to lend rigidity to th structure and to form parts to hold the latches of the retainer as will be hereinafter described.

The retainer 13 is a rectangular frame-like structure proportionedfto fit intojiQth' back of the frame A and, in'practice, it may be provided with a plurality of spaced braces 40 to bear against the back of the pad to lend genera1 support to the pad; In the preferred construction I provide pivoted latches 4| on the retainer adapted to be turned behind the lips 35 so that the retainer is held inthe frame-so that it holds the pad in the frametight against the inner side of the Panel 30.

practice thelatches can be located to engage behind lips 35 at the top and bottom or at the 'sides of the frame andzthe braces ;40.:which give general clamping supportyto the pad can, extend either vertically or horizontally. FigolO I have shown an arrangement where the latches engage side lips While the braces 40 eXtend-:vertically. The means 14 provided for wetting the pad. while it is in place in the carrier and the carrier is arranged "in the-body, at the aperture 24, may vary widely in form and construction: In-the particular case: illustrated "the means I4 involves a pump receiving ;.water'from the tray or ree ceptacleformed bythebase 20-.anddriven by a suitable motor 51:, -Ihe water; deliveredby: the pump; is: carried by a suitable pipe; 52 *to ..be,-;d.e,- livered to the top of the pad to be wetted... "\.'T Various means maybe employed to distribute the water from the pipe 52 tothe top of the .pad'. In Figs. 1 to 7 of the'drawings- I' show .a V;-shaped channel 53 arranged in th top of the frame A to extend across the top of the top edge-portion of the pad. The trough 5.3 reoeives vvater from the pipe 52 and it has one-edge anotched -at.;55 at spaced points along its-length: so that th water is effectively distributed along the'top'edge of the pad. By notching the edge ,or side .of. the trough 1 by means of narrow cuts thewater is uniformly distributed throughout the length of the"; trough with-the result that the top edgeof :the pad is wetted throughout its length. r 1 s In Fig. 9 of the'drawings I show-a distributing pipe 53 m place of a trough, which pipe extends along the top of the'pad'and-may beprovided with small openings at suitable intervals to-distribute water to the pad-i The pipe53 maybe connected to the" pipe '52 --throughyany. suitable connection. 2-

The clamp means l6 provided bysmy-invention engages thetop edge portion of the padto. clamp and hold it securely against, sagging or. dropping. The clamp mean of theipresent invention. involves one or'more 'jaws preferably toothed and arranged to engage and .bite into the upper edgeportion of the pad Wh'ere the construction involves-a trough 53, at the top portion of the frame A I provide a jaw Bil ion: the" rear .sideofthe "trough'lto face rearwardly' and, I provide a jaw'fil on the upper edge portion of the'retainer to face'forw'ardly. The two jaws have their projecting edgesrtoothed, as shown in-Fig.i5, and the general construction and arrangement is preferably such that the jaws overlap-soqthattheupper edge' portion of the-pad is tightly clamped between them. In practice-1'space the-jaws .and B l' apart vertically so that 'zapart o'f athe upper edge portion of the pad enters or extends between the jaws and the jaws do not come together in a manner to cut the pad. By providing toothed jaws the pad is effectively clamped and gripped so that its upper edge portion is positively held against sagging,

In a construction such as is shown inFig. 9, where there is no trough to carry the jaw '60 a jaw I50 may be provided on the inner side of the front panel 30 of the frame. In the case illustrated a jaw Bl is provided on the retainer at a point opposite the jaw 60 and the toothed edges of the jaws I50 and til approach each other to clamp the upper edge portion of the pad between them,

The means I5 for circulating air through the pad ll may be a fan or blower as circumstances require. In the case illustrated I show a blower H mounted in the body ID to be driven by a motor 12. Air is drawn into the blower through an inlet projecting from the trough andthe other being opening 13 and is discharged through an outlet duct 10 which extends from one side 22 of the body.

In practice the desired pad II is first installed in the carrier I3 by being arranged in the frame A and secured therein by the retainer B. The carrier is then inserted in the body l0 in register with the aperture 24. As the apparatus operates the blower draws air through the pad and discharges it through the discharge duct 10 while the means l4 circulates water by drawing it from the base 20 and distributing it across the top of the pad so that it percolates down through the pad. The pad being clamped through the means l6, as above described, is effectively and Securely held against sagging and will remain in effective operating position until the packing material 26 is no longer effective or until it is desired to install a new pad, whereupon the carrier can be removed and a new pad installed.

Having described only typical preferred forms and applications of my invention I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A unit for an evaporative cooler including, a vertically disposed shallow box-like body having a transverse part at its upper end, a thin flat por ous pad, and means mounting the pad in the body including a toothed jaw member movable relative to said part and clamping the upper edge portion of the pad tight against said part.

2. In an evaporative cooler, a box-like body, a pad, and means mounting the pad in the body including cooperating jaws clamping the upper edge portion of the pad to hold it so the pad is suspended therefrom.

3. In an evaporative cooler, a box-like body, a thin rectangular porous pad, and means mounting the pad in the body including a carrier having a rectangular frame with a transverse part at its upper end and a retainer to be attached to the frame to hold the pad therein and having a carried by the retainer.

5. A carrier for a thin flat porous pad including two parts one a shallow frame to receive the pad,

the other a retainer to engage the pad and hold it in the frame, and a toothed jaw on one part to engage the pad and clamp its upper edge portion tight against the other part.

6. A carrier for a thin flat porous pad including a shallow frame having a transversely disposed toothed jaw at its upper end, and a retainer to engage the pad and hold it in the frame, the retainer having a transversely disposed toothed jaw at its upper end, the jaws opposing each other to clamp and hold the upper edge portion of the pad tight between them,

7. A carrier for a pad including a frame, a retainer to engage the pad and hold it in the frame, a trough in the frame, a jaw on the trough to clamp the upper edge portion of the pad, and a jaw on the retainer to clamp the upper edge portion of the pad.

8. A unit of the character described including, two parts, one a carrier frame the other a retainer, a pad arranged between said parts, a rigid transversely arranged member at the upper end of one of said parts, and a transversely arranged clamp jaw carried by the other of said parts and engaging the upper edge portion of the pad to clamp the pad to said member. s

9. A unit of the character described including, a frame, a trough at the upper end of the frame, a retainer opposed to the frame, a pad between the frame and retainer, and a clamp jaw on the trough engaging the pad and cooperating with the retainer to clamp the upper edge portion of the pad.

10. A filter unit including, two parts, one a carrier frame the other a retainer, a pad arranged between said parts, an elongate clamp jaw carried by one of said parts and engaging the upper edge portion of the pad and extending substantially parallel therewith to hold the pad by clamping it to the other part, and braces carried by the retainer engaging the pad to support it against sagging.

11. A filter unit including, two parts, one a carrier frame the other a retainer, a pad arranged between said parts, an elongate clamp jaw carried by one of said parts and engaging the upper edge portion of the pad and extending substantially parallel therewith to hold the pad by clamping it to the other part, and means carried by one of the parts to engage other portions of the pad to clamp it.

' BRYANT ESSICK. 

